Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-05-12
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Fa@saffmx thc Finmes--L0mg Akss Cd
Killed, wemnded and Hnsprfsemod
scarcely "a Rseps ser che Lavter.
NAsAno, b. O., May 4.--A fearful 81.
plosion occurred In the Victoria Goal
Oompany's miDa No. 1, at Nanaimo, on
the eastern shore Of Vancouver 1aland,
last evening. II is believed that $50 men
were In the mine at the time. At mid
night, IL men badly burned had been
rescued, and several dead bodies found,
when the reeouerH, after losing one OF
their number BY suffocation, had to give
up further attempts.
NANArsfo, b. O., May 5.--AIl day yes
terday gangs of men were engaged in
strenuous Efforts TO subdue the flames in
No. shaft Of the Victoria Goal Company
where an explosion occurred Tuesday
night. At 1 D. IN. II was thought they
had the fire under control. The Merri-
weather steam ire-engine did good work
pumping water from the harbor down the
shaft, the hand tire-engines having been
taken down the mine 10 fight the fire
from the level.
II will be impossible to make an at.
tempt to get at the imprisoned men until
the fire Is subdued, for by doing so It
would drive the gas on TO the fire and
cause second disaster. There is but
little hope OF rescuing the men alive, but
an effort will be made at tho first possible
moment TO reach the imprisoned miners.
Over one-half Of the injured and i'm
prisoned men leave wives and families 10
mourn their untimely end.
The names Of those killed and injured
and those now In the Inflated mine are as
follows: Dead-William Davis, John
Linn, John Smith, William Craven and
Frederick Watson. Samuel Hudson of
Wellington, who formed one of the rescu-
ing party, died from the effects of the
after damp. Seven Cinnamon were also
brought up dead.
The injured are as follows George
Davis, John Jones, ]. Stove, John Lynch
and Jules Michael. Richard Gibson, the
overman of the mine, mirRculously ea-
capped with a few outs about the face.
Following Is q list Of those now impri-
soned In the mine as near correct as can
be obtained at present No. i level,
George Bowden, George Simmons, II,
Martin, David Ellis and his son Arthur |;
Benjamin Popplewell, James Thomas,
Joseph Watson, Edward Johns, David
Morgan, Edward wilkins, Edwin Benton,
- Wobank, James Campbell, john
Malcolm, Robert Burlington, J. McGufie,
Robert Fallon, James Milton, William
Bene, William Gilbert, John Richards, j.
Forest, Joseph Thompson, Michael
Lyons, Andrew Hunter, Johns Meakin,
Andrew Muir, W. Campbell and j. j.
Smith; new slope, Daniel Dawson,
II. Burns, Thomas Perry, Robert
| Nicholson, Jonathan Blundell, George
Biggs, George Dawson, Il. Hughes, Chas.
Drake, @. Willis, William Hogue, James
Lyons, John Thompson, A. Smiley, Will
liam Morris, William Hoy, John Niles,
Alex. Mcdonald, William Scales, Frank
Tulley, William Stephenson, A. Meakim
and ]. German. No. 6 level, old slope,
M. Oorcoran, Malcolm Mclean, Peter
Buccca, Joseph Tollardo, Nicholas Johns,
Rodeziok Mcdonald, William j. Morgan,
S. Il. Meyers, L. Allen and Fl.
Brum. No. 8 level, north, George Old,
Abraham Lewis, John Wobank, Chipey
Wobank, Evan Jones, Thomas Evan,
William and James Davey, J. H. West.
felt, Arch Muir, Henry Lee and his son,
Hudson Lee, Robert and John Store,
William Ridley, Joseph and Andrew Mar.
tin, Oleo Beitram, Herbert Bevilockway,
William Lukey, ST., and William Lukey,
Jr., James Hogan, j. Byers and James
Isbister. It is estimated that there are
between so and rs Cinnamon in the
mines.
Jules Michael, one OF the injured, said
that he was sitting in his cabin at supper,
in No. 2 shaft. He felt the conclusion.
ALI scrambled out. He became insensible.
| Only one of his four companions was
saved. The dead bodies of the others
came up In the cage with him. Several
of those rescued hardly appreciate THEN
miraculous escape, owing TO the dazed
feeling which characterized all who came
out from the deadly pit. Michael was
only $50 yards from the entrance to the
shaft when the explosion occurred. He
represents It as something terrific. All
became darkness.
John Lynch was badly injured about
the face and hands and had his hip frac.
tured. His mind has been wandering
since the accident, his talk being of WORK
in the pit. 1t is thought that he will moi
recover. The others were not seriously
injured, though badly shnken up. Sanue
Hudson'E heroic death Is unacoountaOle
He was miner of great experience
while those who went down with him &c
rescue their fellows were comparatively
inexperienced. He died from the effect
of Rfter-damp. His brave deed Is one o.
the bright things in this carnival Of
misery. All day yesterday gangs of mer
were endeayoring to extinguish the flannel
In No. shaft, and the fire there is be-
lieved now to be under control.
Fears are entertained of second ex
plosion of gas which might blow The
whole place up, and old miners say thai
such result is possible. If 80 the catas
trophe would be the greatest recorded il
the history of coal mining. All hope o.
reaching any one in the mines has LONG
ago been abandoned. II is thought tina
all the men can do is being done to reacl
them. It was at first thought of cutting |
ditch to the salt water so as TO ATTEMPT Il
put ont the fire in No. shaft by turnins
q stream Of water into it, but III,
scheme was abandoned. II would onl,
flood the mine, rendering it practically
useless for year, and would Danish an,
hope there might be of saving the lives o
the men. Imagine the scene The mine
extend out from the shore more than ,
mile beneath the waters Of the harbor
and as one looks over the placid waves
he cannot imagine that beneath are i'm
Irisoned many dead fathers and sons O
80 families of this little city. Around tn,
shaft the scenes are narrowing in tn,
extreme. As each cage comes up anxiou
faces look there for glad tidings tina
never come, and the hope that there ia
prospect for the dear onea who died a
the post of duty is soon diBpelled.
Mr.. Ryden and Mr.. Scott of the Well
ington mines went down yesterday after
noon at the imminent risks OF their live
to try to make an investigation as to th,
manner of the procedure. Mr.. Ohandle
of the Wellington mine has been indefati
gable in his efforts TO assist in the worl
of rescue. Indeed, everybody seems pos
sessed with desire to labor heroically il
the arduous and dangerous work. Messrs
David, Praeger Eberts, O'Brien ant
Walker are in attendance giving all .hs
assistance in their power
A black pail hangs over the city. Busi
ness houses are closed, oolleries shut u.
and the entire population Ia gathered a
the scene of the disaster Frantic wives
terror-Btficken children and borrowing
fatharH hover in the vicinity and mourt
over their terrible Affections. Occasiona
showers of rain cast a drearines,
over the already ghastly scene. IN,
imprisoned miners are ali old settlers
Their faces were familiar on the
oity's streets, aud there will be man,
void in the homes of the people wher
the terrible tale is told that they are dead
Il IS almost impossible that any of the